Identification device.



RICHARD SYLVESTER, OF WILMINGTON,

NEMOURS AND COMPANY, F WILM DELAWARE.

ELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE aNGrTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF IDENTIFICATION DEVICE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD SYLvnsTER,

Va citizen of the United States, -residing at 'ilmington, in the county\ ot' New Castle 5 and State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Identification Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in identification devices. i

As is well known, it is not unconnnon for a large industrial vconcern of the present day to have thousands of employees upon its pay-roll, and even though the business of such concern be divided into variousdepartments, each department usually has so many employees or workers connected therewith that it is practically impossible for the superintendent or other officer in charge of a department to he personally acquainted with each individual under his supervision, and naturally, the officers and clerks in charge of the books and records at the office of the concern are personally unacquainted with the majority of the employees in the shops or other departments of the plant. Therefore, it is the practice, especially with very large manufacturing concerns, to give each individual employee an identifying number by which such employee is indicated and identified upon the pay-roll and other records of the concern.

But usually there is no means provided for detecting impersonation -or fraud such as might occur forinstance where one individual, personally unknown to the officer in charge, might assume the identifying number of and pass himself off as another 0 who might also be personally unknown to the officer, who could not therefore detect the fraud. In carrying oift my invention, therefore, it is niy purpose to provide an identification device in the nature of a badge, medallion, pocket piece or the like, which is adapted to be worn or carried by the person to be identified, and-Which device in addition to exhibiting a particular indicating character, such as a number, by which the person is known and identified on the books or records of the concern, will also have associated with thenumber or indicating character a Specification of Letters Patent.

- with which such Patented Apr. 24, 1915.

Application led February 16, 1917. Serial No. 148,929.

photograph of the person thus reducing to a minimum errors, mistakes and fraud which might arise through confusion of personalities or other reasons,

Still a further object of my invention'is the provision of an identification device which will be found particularly serviceable and convenient in large industrial establishments which are divided into various departments, inasmuch as each device, in addition to identifyinga particular person by number and photographic likeness, is also adapted to designate the particular department person is connected, so that should a person wearing one of these devices enter a department other than the one to which he is assigned, or which the device in dicates, his presence and thc fact that he does not belong to the department may be ascertained at a glance b v the oflicial in charge who may then make an investigation to determine itl such persons presence in the department is authorized or unauthorized.

Furthermore, I propose to provide an identification device which will bc found,

useful in` assisting' the members of the office force of'the concern to check up or verify the pay-roll in connection with the payment of wages to the employees. For instance, the books of the concern may contain the identifying number of an employee and his autographic signature opposite the same. Should the paymaster be suspicious that aI person exhibiting a particular badge or identifying device for the purpose of receiving Wages is not the person to whom the badge or device belongs, he may demand such persons autographic signature and then compare it with the signature opposite the particular identifying number on the book to determine thc right of the person to receive the wages.

It is also my purpose to provide an identification device having a back plate or face which is marked or stamped with the name of the company or concern, or has thereon other matter identifying the same using the device, and as the back plates or faces of all of the badges or devices are similar and bear the samedata, these plates may be produced in bulk, in great quantities at a very loW cost.

. Furthermore, I propose to provide an identification device which will embody the desired features ot simplicitv, reliability, accuracy and convenience in use.

'ith the aboveA recited obiectsand others of a similar nature in vie my invention consists iii the construction, combination and arrangement ot' parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l. is a laee view ot' an identification device kembodying my invention. in this instance the device being in the form ot' a medallion or badge.

Fig. is a back view of the deviceshown iu Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a detail view in perspective oic the annular spider forming part ot' the device.

Fig. 4. is a vertical eross-sectioual View taken centrally through the-badge shown in Fig. l.

' Fig. 5, is a perspective view of a conventional form of pocket case lwith a modified lorm of my invention associated therewith.

Fig. is a cross-sectional view' taken through the modified t'orm ofthe device on the liney (SW6 oi Fig. the pocket case being omitted.

llet'erring now to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, wherein a preferred embodimentof my invention is shown. the numeral 1 indicates the back plate which is preferably in the nature of a circular sheet metal disk oi suitable size and is adapted to be stamped. impressed, embossed or otherwise marked with suitable data indicating the concern using the device, vthis marking being indiL cated at 2 in Fig. 2. Adapted to bear against the inner tace of this back plate 1 is an annular spider 5l which iii its preferred form is shown in detail in Fig. 3. This spider embodies two concentric rings` an inner ring if and an outer ring 5. the two rings being connected by the radial arms (S. The inner ring i is preferably provided with a single annular flange 'i' so that such ring is L-sliape in cross-section, while the outer ring 5 is pr iferably formed wit-h two annular flanges, shown at 8, so tliatthis outer ring is U-shape in eross-sectionimd the arms 6 are also preferably U-shape iii cross-section. Adapted to be framed within and by the inner ring i is a. photograph 9, which may be a likeness of the employee to whom the badge is assigned, and this photograph may ha i'e printed or otherwise marked thereon suitable indicia associating the original of the pliotograplrwith his or her employment. Such indicia may be in the form of an identifying character preferably inthe nature of a number or numbers shown at 10 so that not only will the einployee be identified by his photograph, but may be identified also by the number associated with the photograph, such number corresponding to the employees number on the books or records of the employer. The

inner face 1l of the back plate 1 is prefer-v ably provided with color or other indicia. distinctively marked to indicate the particular department of the concern to which the badge and the employee wearing the same belong, and each department is intended to have the badges thereof clearly distinguishable from the badges of the other departments. For instance, if a concern has -four departments. known as departments A, B, C and D, the faces 11 of the badges of department A may be colored "red"; those of department B, those of department C. white": ot' department l). blue. As will be understood. said color indicia ydoes not detract attention from the photograph; on the contrary` such indicia will form a background for the photograph tending to render the latter more prominently or distinctively displayed. enabling the watchman or inspector to rapidly identity the person carrying the device. This idea ot` distinguishing the 'arious badges ot' the dillcreut departments may be carried out in various other ways other than that above recited. and instead ot applying the color or other distinguishing marking directly to the face 11. coloredl disks, mats or the like oi cardboard, fabric` paper or other suitable substance maybe applied or placed against the inner'face 11.

()r, if desired. a particular department,

division or section ot' a plant or establishment may be indicated by positioning a letter or other mark or insignia within thev circle or border containingl the photograph and adjacent or to one side ot' the letter.

For example. iu the taking ot the photoclearly contrasting or otherwise distinguishf ing color, such for instance as white, against the. brown background of the photograph. will appear in conjunction with or to one side ot' the actual picture or image of the subject. lt will be evident that when the. badges arel so distinguished, a person wearing a badge of one department upon entering another departmentwould immediately green and those become known as not belonging to the de-.

l shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and serves as a protector for the photograph and the colored face 11, the'photograph with the number. as Well as the face 11, being of course visible through the transparent plate 12. A suitable annular rim 13, which is preferably U- shape in cross-section is employed to hold the various parts in assembled position as shown in Fig. 4, While the numeral 111 inidcates a loop carried by the rim 13 and by means of which the badge may be fastened to a chain, strap or other support as will be readily understood.

If desired, the loop 14 may be omitted and any suitable mean's employed for mounting the badge upon the coat or other article of the owner of the badge, or if desired, such badge may be used'as a pocket piece.

In Fig. 5, l have shown a slightly modified form and use. of the inventon. a portion of the modified device bling shown in section in Fig. f3. In this instance, a pocket case conventionally shown at and made of leather' or other material has an opening c cut inone side thereof. while. the arms (3 of the spider are extended through openings 15 in the rim 13 ofl the identifyingr device, and' the. extended ends of the spider a-rc attened to provide lugs lf3 which may be inserted between the usual folds or plies 17--17 of the case, to retain the device in Vthe case with its front face exposed as is clearly indicated in Fig. 5. When called upon to do so. the. employee. may open his case and exhibit his badge.

lVhile l have. herein shown aluldescribed a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 wish it to be understood that l do not c'onfine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illus'- tration, as modification and variation may bemade. without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. As a means for rapidly identifying individualsby a casual inspection and adapted for identifying em}')loyees.`an identification device. comprising a body portion adapted to constitute. a supporting frame for a .photograph of thc person to be identified,

said photograph carrying indicia associating the original of the photograph with the particular employment, said frameha ving a configuration adapted to position the. photograph and indicia distinctivelyI to permit of. rapid identification.

2. As a. means for rapidly identifying in.

dividuals by a casual'inspectimi and adapted for identifying employees, an identification device comprising a body portion having one face thereof marked with data identi,- fying the concern'using the devi, a. frame adapted to retain a photograph of the individual to be identified, and an identifying.

figuration lto position the photograph and V number distinctively to permit ofl rapid identification.

E. .\s a means for rapidly identifying individuals l j a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees. an identification device comprisingr a badge or the like having a back plate marked with data identifying the concern using the device. a frame adapted to hold a photograph of the individual to be identified. said photograph carrying indicia associating the original of' the photograph with the particular employment. said frame having a configuration adapted to position the photograph and indicia distinctively to permit of rapid identification. a translmrent plate adapted to overlie thc photograph and the indicia. and a retainin'g rim for securingl the above mentioned partsI in assembled position.

l. .\s a means for rapidly identifying individuals by a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees. an identification devicecomprising a back plate marked with data identifying the concern using the device. a skeleton spider-like frame adapted to be placed against the inner face ol' the back plate and designed to cons itute a support for a photograph of the individual to be. identified. said photograph having an identification number associated therewith. said vspider having a configuration adapted to position the photograph and number distinctively to permit of rapid identification,

a transparent plate. overlying said photograph and number. and a rim for retaining the back plate. the transparent plate. and the skeleton frame in assembled position.

As a means` f'or rapidly identifying individuals by a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees. an identification device comprising a back plate having the outer face thereof' marked with data to identify the concern using the device. a spider vusing theI device, means at the inner face of the Vback plate. for indicating a. particular department of the. concern employing thel device, means located adjacent the inner face. of the, back plate for supporting a. photograph of an individual with the photograph ing the original of the photograph with the lemployment, and also having means to indicate a particular department of the concern employing the device, said photograph and department-indicating means being relatively positioned to produce al distinctive display oi each ot' the identifying parts to permit rapid identification.

8. As a means lfor rapidly identifying individuals by a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees, an identification device comprising a back plate having the ,name ot the concern using the device marked thereon, the inner face of said back plate carrying distinctive color indicia to indicate a particular department of said conlcern; a trame tor supporting a photograph ar anged at the inner face of the back plate, said trame being positioned to permit dis' tinctive vexposure of the photograph and '30 color indicia, a transparent'front plate overlying` the' frame, and a rim for retaining the back plate, the front plate and the photograph trame in assembled position.

9. As a means for rapidly identifying individuals by a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees, an identification device comprising a circular back plate marked to indicate the concern employing the device, a spider frame comprising two Concentrically arranged annular members connected by radial arms, the innermost of said annular members being adapted to support a photograph centrally of the device, a transparent front plate overlying the spiderltrame and a rim for holding the as-v sembled fi'ont plate, baci: plate and spider frame in assembled position.

10. As a means for rapidly identifying individuals by a casual inspection and adapted for identifying employees, an identification device comprising a body portion having a back plate, a transparent lirontplate and a photograph supporting trame hel between I the two plates, a rii'n holding thei't o plates and the frame in assembled position, and projections extending beyond the rim for holding the device in mounted position on va. suitable support.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.V v f Rioni/inn svLvnsTER.'

W'itnesses P. E. S'rnicnL.-\N1 H. J. Hawaii, Jr. 

